Lecture 2: Beguinning of The World Flashcards
(27 cards)
What are pūrākau?
Māori traditional narratives, myths, or legends, often preserved through chants and songs to encode and maintain these cultural traditions
What is the importance of purakau in Maori Society?
- Provides a set of rules to live by.
- Understanding of the negative affect of a transgression.
- Rituals for spiritual and material wellbeing.
How are purakau important today?
- Guidance on what is good and bad behaviour
- Understanding of the importance of whakapapa
- Understanding that men and women are equal
- Continuation of rituals for spiritual and material wellbeing
What are creation stories?
Creation stories are pūrākau that explain the origins of the world, humanity, and the relationships between people, nature, and the spiritual realm.
What are the 3 main creation stories?
- Io
- Separation of Rangi and Papa
- Creation of the First Humans
Who is Io?
A supreme creator, high being - a god above all gods (supreme atua)
Where does Io exist?
Eternally in Te Korekore (the void)
In Io’s story, how does creation occur?
Creation occurs through a whakapapa of karakia, with Io speaking different realms into existence.
Who maintains that Io has always been part of their tribal traditions?
Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Kahungunu
Why is Io controversial?
Some argue that Io is a Christian modification of Maori narrative traditions, while others maintain Io as always having been part of their creation stories
What are the two versions of The Seperation of Rangi and Papa?
Te Arawa and Ngāi Tahu
What is the main storyline in both seperation versions?
Describe the creation of the world as a consequence of the separation of Rangi and Papa - seperation is actioned by their children
How is the creation of the universe explained (Io)?
Io speaks things into existence through a whakapapa of karakia and formulaic naming
What are Rangi and Papa’s full names?
Ranginui/Rakinui and Papatūānuku
What is the Summary of the Te Arawa version of Seperation?
- the parents embrace tightly in darkness, with their sons trapped between them
- brothers debate appropriate way forward (tikanga)
- there is debate on the course of action between brothers
- Tāne pushes parents apart with his legs
- Parents view this as a grievous act (kōruru)
- Tāwhirimātea opposed seperation, seeks revenge, attacking his brothers.
- Only Tūmatauenga withstands him, consuming those who failed to fight
- Tūmatauenga asserts dominance
Who are the main characters in the Te Arawa version of creation?
- Ranginui
- Papatuanuku
- Tane-mahuta
- Tawhiri-matea
- Tu-matapuenga
- Tangaroa
- Haumiatiketikeke
- Rongo-ma-tane
What is the summary of the Ngāi Tahu version of Seperation?
- Papa first marries Takaroa, then takes Raki as husband and bears children
- Takaroa returns, defeats Raki
- Raki asks sons to seperate him from Papa to bring light to the world
- Under Tāne’s leadership and strengthened by Paia’s karakia, they complete the seperation
- Raki dies, Tāne honors him by placing stars in the sky
Who are the main characters in the Ngai Tahu version of creation?
- Papatuanuku
- Takaroa
- Rakinui
- Tane
What were the reasons for seperation in each story?
Te Arawa = The brothers debate tikanga before deciding to separate them.
Ngāi Tahu = Raki himself orders the separation, knowing he will die.
What were the differences in parental relationships between the seperation stories?
Te Arawa = Rangi and Papa are always together.
Ngāi Tahu = Papa was first with Takaroa before taking Raki as a new husband
What is Tāwhirimātea’s role in each of the seperation stories?
Te Arawa = Opposes separation, attacks his brothers in revenge.
Ngāi Tahu = Not mentioned
What are the two versions of The Creation of First Humans?
Ngai Tahu and Ngati Kahungunu
What is the main storyline in both creation versions?
relates to the creation of the first human beings by the atua
What is the summary of the Ngai Tahu version of creation?
- Tāne creates the first man, Tiki-auaha, breathing life into him
- Also creates female partner Io-wahine by mixing water and Hawaiki’s earth, and breathes life into her
- He experiments with Io-wahine to determine the source of reproduction
- Io-wahine later joins Tiki-auaha in marriage.
